Fluid Flow, Solidification and Inclusion Entrapment during Steel Centrifugal Casting Process

The current study investigated the multiphase fluid flow, heat transfer, solidification of the steel, and the motion and entrapment of inclusions during centrifugal casting process using FLUENT software. User-defined functions (UDFs) were developed to add a speed with a value related to the rotation speed and radial distance to the solidified steel, to exert a centrifugal force to the motion of inclusions, and to add the entrapment condition of inclusions at the solidifying shell and export the entrapment locations of inclusion. The calculation shows that there are two peaks of inclusions along the thickness of the produced tube: one at close to outer surface and another one close to the inner surface of the tube. With larger rotation speed, inclusions tend to be entrapped more towards the inner surface. The calculation agrees well with the industrial measurement.